neepheid Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 [quote name='BigRedX' post='1153175' date='Mar 7 2011, 11:15 PM']Won't a 21 fret neck require more routing of the neck pocket? Or are you hoping that by not having a headstock plus the extra body mass of the bridge/tuner assembly you'll be able to counteract the potential for neck dive caused by shifting the string witness points further from the end of the body. For me it's not the 21st fret that is so essential. When I'm playing that far up the neck it normally involves two note chords with open string drones so the 19th fret (2 octaves above the open string below) is the important one for me. After that if there are any more I'll want to go all the way to the 24th fret.[/quote] That would depend upon the neck I guess. If the 21st fret is on an overhanging fretboard then it won't be so much of a problem. However, I'm about to bring together two things which were never designed for one another so I'm expecting neck pocket alteration anyway. I've already outlined my reason for wanting 21 frets, they may be frivolous and spurious, but the customer is me, and the customer is king Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 (edited) Still looking for the right neck. In the meantime I have been thinking about ways to improve the dusty end access - one of the quirks of the Thunderbird - without harming the overall aesthetic. This was my first thought which should give about 1.5" of improved access by following the angle of the bottom horn much further and ending in a tighter turn near the neck: Is it still arguably a Thunderbird? Is it subtle enough? Edited March 10, 2011 by neepheid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 The bottom of the lower horn could use a bit of slimming down to keep the lines sweet I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 12, 2011 Author Share Posted March 12, 2011 This matt black goth stuff is bloody tough. I was hoping it would recoil simply by being exposed to sunlight Seriously though, I am in the middle of sanding, and it is hard going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 That's interesting because it marks just by looking at it the wrong way. I know what you mean about the upper fret access being not very good. I very rarely go up that far and when I do its only to tap something with my right hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 [quote name='neepheid' post='1159945' date='Mar 12 2011, 10:25 PM']This matt black goth stuff is bloody tough. I was hoping it would recoil simply by being exposed to sunlight [/quote] perhaps garlic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 The top black stuff isn't too bad but there's a layer of brown stuff underneath and that is taking an age to shift! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilmour Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Is the brown stuff some sort of sealer coat? I'd have though it was ok to leave that on, provided it's all flat etc, if you're going to paint over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 (edited) Ach, maybe so but I started to go through it anyway as I was sanding off black stuff so I'm going to take the lot off. To be honest I prefer not to have unknown substances present, you never know if there could be an unfavourable reaction when finishing. EDIT: besides, I'll be carving recesses in the body for the bridge, modifying the neck pocket and reshaping the bottom horn, so those parts won't have that sealer coat on anyway so I'd rather just take the lot off. Edited March 14, 2011 by neepheid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomBassmonkey Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Have you thought about carving the back of the lower horn to make it thinner? Also the back of the neck pocket so there's not a huge chunk of wood there. I can't remember where I saw it a while ago, I thik it was on a 36 fret bass (and a tasteful one, not a wishbass ), it looked like it improved the upper fret access a lot without compromising (or even changing) the looks from the front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 15, 2011 Author Share Posted March 15, 2011 (edited) [quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1161844' date='Mar 14 2011, 03:00 PM']Have you thought about carving the back of the lower horn to make it thinner? Also the back of the neck pocket so there's not a huge chunk of wood there. I can't remember where I saw it a while ago, I thik it was on a 36 fret bass (and a tasteful one, not a wishbass ), it looked like it improved the upper fret access a lot without compromising (or even changing) the looks from the front.[/quote] Interesting, but I can't quite visualise how that's going to help. Can you find any pics of what you mean? Had a bit of a setback last night - my Mouse sander went pop. Bah! Edited March 15, 2011 by neepheid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I was also thinking that you could leave the front of the lower horn intact, but carve out the back of it, especially at the top. Whether that'd be enough to give you access I don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky72 Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 This is a great project, can't wait to see how it turns out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky72 Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Have you considered the Kubicki Ex-Factor route, the almost headless option? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommorichards Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 This is looking quite awesome man. I never thought of making a thunderbird headless. I am very much looking forward to the final result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robocorpse Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I am now selling my project Status bolt-on S-3000 if anyone fancies grafting one of Rob Greens incredible necks onto something. Link is in my sig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomBassmonkey Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 [quote name='neepheid' post='1162782' date='Mar 15 2011, 09:44 AM']Interesting, but I can't quite visualise how that's going to help. Can you find any pics of what you mean? Had a bit of a setback last night - my Mouse sander went pop. Bah![/quote] I can't find any pics, so I drew an awesome diagram! (apologies, I'm no artist at the best of time and this was a 2 minute sketch in paint). If you're looking at the lower horn from the back, the centre line is the countour. To the left of it, you thin the horn, it means your hand doesn't hit a solid block of wood and some of your fingers can go behind the body instead of wedging next to it. How thin you'd need to make it would depend on the body thickness. From the front it doesn't look any different as all the carving's done at the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share Posted March 18, 2011 [quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1167152' date='Mar 18 2011, 02:05 PM']I can't find any pics, so I drew an awesome diagram! (apologies, I'm no artist at the best of time and this was a 2 minute sketch in paint). If you're looking at the lower horn from the back, the centre line is the countour. To the left of it, you thin the horn, it means your hand doesn't hit a solid block of wood and some of your fingers can go behind the body instead of wedging next to it. How thin you'd need to make it would depend on the body thickness. From the front it doesn't look any different as all the carving's done at the back.[/quote] I think I see what you mean now. I'll keep that in mind. Until the neck arrives and is fitted I won't be entirely sure what I should do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomBassmonkey Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 [quote name='neepheid' post='1167180' date='Mar 18 2011, 02:22 PM']I think I see what you mean now. I'll keep that in mind. Until the neck arrives and is fitted I won't be entirely sure what I should do.[/quote] I just had another quick look and found this: It's done for looks and it's on a guitar, but it should give you an idea of what I'm talking about with taking mass out from behind the lower horn and neck pocket hehe. It wouldn't give you perfect access but it'd help a little. If you still had to deepen the whole cutaway for better access, this might just mean that you can leave an extra few mil there that you might've taken out otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 You could shape the lower horn/cutaway on both sides like Overwater did on their Thunderbird-esque Original Bass: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 [quote name='BigRedX' post='1167457' date='Mar 18 2011, 06:04 PM']You could shape the lower horn/cutaway on both sides like Overwater did on their Thunderbird-esque Original Bass: [/quote] I really really really need to get my hands on a five string version of one of those original overwaters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fumps Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 (edited) Dude i'm sorry to jump in on this thread with no help or technical know how, but this project is fantastic. Talk about freaky, i set my heart on a Headless T-Bird years ago & was crushed to find one didn't exist.......I was laughed at & ridiculed in pretty much every place i visited looking for one & out of the blue i descover this. You are now a god in my eyes lol. cant wait to see the finished product. Keep going mate it will be awsome when it's done. Gav Edited March 21, 2011 by fumps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 25, 2011 Author Share Posted March 25, 2011 I have the neck now and I'm scheming about how to move forwards. This is the plan: 1) cut out the fillet from the end of the fingerboard to the face of the headstock: 2) glue in a piece of maple: 3) trim to match the shape of the headless hardware and fit. Does that seem reasonable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassie Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 [quote name='neepheid' post='1176680' date='Mar 25 2011, 06:54 PM']I have the neck now and I'm scheming about how to move forwards. This is the plan: 1) cut out the fillet from the end of the fingerboard to the face of the headstock: 2) glue in a piece of maple: 3) trim to match the shape of the headless hardware and fit. Does that seem reasonable?[/quote] That looks pretty reasonable to me. As long as the truss rod isn't an issue, or you can get your cut around it. That's the adjusting end, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 [quote name='Count Bassie' post='1176814' date='Mar 26 2011, 02:21 AM']That looks pretty reasonable to me. As long as the truss rod isn't an issue, or you can get your cut around it. That's the adjusting end, right?[/quote] Nah, I have lucked out and obtained one which adjusts at the heel, so this procedure will hopefully not cause any problems in that regard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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